So you're in the market for a supercar that won't break your bank, won't break your spine but will still break necks with supercar looks and exclusivity? I can't think of two cars that fit the bill better than the Audi R8 V8 and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Before the Audi has always trumped the V8V's power but with a recent upgrade the two are extremely similar in both price and performance.

Audi R8 V8:



4.2l V8
420 hp
0-60: 4.6
$114,000-$156,000

Aston Martin V8 Vantage



4.7l V8
420 hp
0-60: 4.7
$130,000-$156,000

For all intensive purposes, the performance and the price (when similarly optioned) are exactly the same for these two. So? Which would you choose?

My take:
I've had the chance to drive both of these cars very recently as my dad is shopping for a car in a similar price range.
Exterior: My dad loves the R8, and I can see why. It looks like a supercar. It looks exciting. He has always wanted a Lamborghini and quite frankly, the Audi is as close as you can get without splurging for the Italian exotics. The Aston, sitting next to it, looks relatively plain. But the Aston is just so classical looking and in my opinion, even if the R8 draws more crowds now with its LED lamps and glass engine boot, you'll bore of it after a while. The R8 has more wow now, but like a pop song, you might get tired of it. The Aston has less wow now, but I can't imagine ever getting tired of looking at it down the road.
Interior: No question here really. You sit in the Aston, you smell and feel pure luxury. You sit in the Audi, you feel like you're in an Audi. Even running your hands across the textures produce a plasticky, cheap sound in the Audi, and the sound of smooth silk in the Aston. Pay more for the carbon fiber, Alcantara headliner and leather pack in the Audi and you're getting a little closer. But it never feels as special as the Aston Martin. The Aston just has a special aura to it that the Audi can't reproduce. There is NO plastic. Everything that looks like metal is metal. Everything that looks like leather is leather. The Aston interior feels more than its $150k asking price (which is to be expected; it's the exact same interior as the $250k DBS and it looks just fine there too) whereas the Audi interior feels more like a $70k car. That said, the Aston's nav system is chore to use and look at, whereas the Audi's is class leading.
Drive: The Audi has a far superior driving position. Your view out the windshield is amazing. The cowl is low and unobtrusive. The handbrake, shift lever, arm rest, everything just fits. And the drive? You melt into it. In fact... you might melt into it too well. For a $150k car, the excitement lasted about 10 minutes. After that, driving the Audi kind of felt like driving a normal A5 or S5. In comparison, the Aston is a bit of pomp and circumstance. The cowl is EXTREMELY high. You feel like you're driving a tank. The steering wheel is heavy. The auto trans requires more driver input to drive it smoothly. And you know what? I liked it better. Not once did the excitement die down. Not once did I forget I was in an exotic Aston Martin. Let's face it; I'm no professional driver. They both felt fast. They both felt like they handled on rails. But the Aston excited me. The Aston made V8 noises that made my pants tight. The Audi... well what they said in Top Gear is true. The Audi is silent. And ten minutes into the test drive, I forgot I was driving a $150k car. And that is never a good thing, imo.

But on the other hand... the R8 is just so nice, haha

Thoughts?

 

For me, the choice is easy, I would take the Aston.

I agree with you that the Aston won't look dated because it has a very classical timeless look.

The Audi looks more gimmicky, and I think it will age quickly/poorly in the next few years. Audi's "christmas lights" implementation of LEDs in headlights is getting played out IMO, and I think most Audis with the christmas tree LEDs will look dated in a few years. Audi IMO needs to come up with a more elegant and timeless LED design similar to what the competition has done.

The Aston's interior always dazzles me. The A8 interior on the other hand is disappointing for an Audi IMO.

 

If I could I would choose both, depending on my mood of the day I could have the Audi which is more futuristic / evil or the Aston thats more refined / classic.

But on most days I would drive the AM, if I drove it like a mad man the hidden evil side would come out

 

One is timeless, beautiful, and completely perfect. The other looks like a TT on creatine.

Case closed.

 

I know people who buy these cars really don't think about it, but how do their warranties compare?

 

Audi has 4 year 50k, Aston has 3 year unlimited mileage.

Also, Aston sends a flatbed to your house for any work

 

Aston Martin without a doubt.

The R8 V8 wouldn't even be a consideration. Yes, it handles well but the V10 belonged in it from the start.

 

I was in the market just last month looking somewhat at the same cars. My choices were Vantage V8, Older model DB9/CL550/Older model CL63.

Immediately I fell in love with the Aston Martin’s cars. But then I started talking to people who own and fix Aston Martin. I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t ready to deal with the maintenance cost on an Aston. Let me tell you I would have sold my house and move in a condo for a new DB9 or DBS.

The Vantage reminds me of my old Acura NSX with a little more power. But the Vantage is like a wild animal and the exhaust is amazing.
Deep down the DB9 is what I really wanted b/c I needed more luxury which is what attractive me to the CL’s class.

In the end I decide on a CL550 fully loaded the least attractive of the 4 cars but I’m happy. I realize I needed a car I can drive for hours and feel comfortable doing it. If the Benz breaks down I have a number of Mercedes dealership that can service the car.
Honestly, both cars are amazing but if you need luxury step up to the DB9. I also think the Audi R8 is a little more grown man than the Vantage if you know what I mean.

 

The R8 looks more mean, aggressive and distinctive. I am not too fond of the the Vantage front end, especially the headlights, still a very nice car overall, but I like the DBS/DB9 a whole lot more and would take one over the R8 V10 if money no object.

 

V8 Vantage is the best looking Aston to me. They really hit the sweet spot with the dimensions. The styling still looks amazing after 5 years.

 

Aston ALL DAY... you know at all times you are in an exotic... the ONLY consideration for me was AWD being in snow country so you don't have to "park" an R8... lasts about 5 mins, then you realize how special the AMV8 is and maybe get a Wolf as a beater

STILL trying to test drive the 12 come spring but I think I'd still rock the V8... really doesn't matter, does it???

 

I choose the aston. Both of these cars have plenty of horsepower but neither would be deem anywhere near "fast" in today's criteria. Therefore, I would solely base my decision on appearance, and the Aston Martin has that category won hands down IMO.

However, If you tack on another couple thousands and are looking at the v10 and v12 versions of each car, I would no doubt choose the audi v10. IMO the audi v10 engine is far superior to the aston v12 and the audi even though is not quite as pretty, is still a neck breaker.

 

I guess I'm going against the grain here but I would go with the R8. I have nothing bad to say about either car

 

Me neither , but I am with you, and I think the R8 and the DB9/DBS both trump the vantage in road presence ...

 

Also something else to keep in mind: The Aston's resale value SUCKS. You can get into a brand new 2010 Aston for $30k off MSRP ($110k). A used 2010 Audi will still cost you $135k.